Fracture plate



P. B. HAGGLAND 2,780,223

FRACTURE PLATE Feb. 5, 1957 Filed May 17, 1955 INVENTOR I Paul 5.17%Zzuuf United States Patent 0 FRACTURE PLATE Paul B. Haggland, Fairbanks,Territory of Alaska Application May 17, 1955, Serial No. 508,889 6Claims. (Cl. 128-92) This invention relates to surgical appliances, andin particular to fracture plates adapted to engage and stabilizefractured bone ends.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved fractureplate of novel shape and configuration, adapted for multi-plane fixationof a bone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fracture plate adaptedto effectively engage and stabilize secondary bone fragments. A relatedobject is the provision of a fracture plate configured to position thebone screws used therewith in offset or spaced relationship,longitudinally, laterally and angularly.

Still another object is to provide a fracture plate ideally suited tocoapt bone grafts at the fracture site. Further objects will be in partevident and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention,applied to a fractured bone;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure 1 illustrates a femur shaft10, fractured at 12. The fracture plate comprises a sheet 14,constructed of stainless steel or similar corrosion-resistant material,generally diamond shaped in form and centrally branched into side bands16 and 18, which enclose a central opening 20. The central opening,preferably, is also diamond shaped, its sides being parallel to theouter edges of the sheet, whereby the side bands are of uniform widththroughout their length. To rigidify the structure, the sides of thesheet and opening may be outwardly ribbed or beaded, as at 22.

The sheet 14 is curved cylindrically about a longitudinal axis parallelto it but spaced somewhat therefrom, whereby it is adapted to fitclosely about and partially enclose the bone 10, as best illustrated inFigures 2 to 4. At its widest central point, the device may extendabout, for example, one third of the circumference of the bone, ofsubtend an arc of 120. The inner surface of the sheet is preferablysmooth, as shown.

The sheet 14 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extendedscrew receiving slots 24, spaced more or less evenly along its length.As an outstanding feature of the invention, each slot is also spacedlaterally with respect to adjacent slots, being arranged preferably intwo rows coinciding at their ends but diverging therebetween insubstantial parallelism to the sheet sides. The slot rows, as will beapparent, follow the side bands 16 and 18, and the overall effect is aunique, staggered slot pattern.

In applying the device, the bone ends must be manipu- 2,780,223 PatentedFeb. 5, 1957 lated into apposition, and an incision made to the bone.The plate may then be positioned as shown in Figure l, with its centercoinciding substantially with the fracture, whereby the device extendsan equal distance in both directions therefrom. It will be noted thatthe device can be placed easily, since it isnarrow at both ends andwidest in the middle, where the incision can be retracted most easilyand to the greatest extent; I v

A bone screw 26 may next be inserted through eacli slot 24 into thebone, each screw being directed through the central axis of the bone, orin direction generally normal to the sheet portion surrounding theinvolved slot. By reason of the slot pattern, each screw is angularlyoffset with respect to adjacent screws, whereby the bone ends aretransfixed in a plurality of angularly diverse planes. This isillustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and it will be seen that the sidebands 16 and 18 are disposed in planes substantially at right angles toeach other. This is highly advantageous since any secondary fragmentspresent are likely to be engaged by one or more screws. Any tendency ofthe bone ends to rotate axially relative to each other is precluded, anda large number of screws may be utilized without danger of cracking orsplitting the bone. The screws being offset longitudinal, ly, there isno possibility of conflict in insertion.

The cylindrical curvature of the device and its wide coverage at thefracture site adapt it to coapt-bone grafts. The curvature alsocontributes to stiffness, and cooperaes with the beads 22 to resistlongitudinal bending. The curvature may be altered upon application tofit bones of different diameters, or the pull of the screws 26 may berelied on to conform the curvature to the bone.

The central opening 20, as will be evident, may be oval rather thandiamond shaped, or otherwise shaped or omitted altogether. By way ofspecific example, the fracture plate may be 8" in overall length, andsubtend an are at its center of 120. The slots 24 may be .175" x .5",and the sheet 14 may be .10 thick and .15" thick through the beads 22.The diameter of the cylinder of curvature may be 1.25".

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention astructure in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, togetherwith many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As variouspossible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the aboveinvention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A fracture plate comprising an enlarged central portion and narrowends joined thereto by longitudinally extending portions decreasing inwidth from the central portion to said ends, said plate being curvedcylindrically about a longitudinal axis parallel to but spaced from saidplate, whereby the plate is adapted to fit about and partially enclose abone, and a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced openingsin said plate, said openings being arranged in said plate to define tworows diverging from each of said ends toward said central portion.

2. A fracture plate as defined in claim 1 wherein the rows coincide atthe ends of the plate.

3. A fracture plate comprising a diamond shaped sheet curvedcylindrically about a longitudinal axis parallel to but spaced from saidsheet, whereby the sheet is adapted to fit about and partially enclose abone, and a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced screwopenings in said sheet, said openings being arranged in rows defining adiamond outline generally paralleling the shape of the sheet.

4. A fracture plate comprising a diamond shaped,

centrally branched metal sheet curved cylindrically about a longitudinalaxis parallel to but spaced from said sheet, whereby the sheet isadapted to fit about and partially enclose a bone, and a plurality oflongitudinally extended screw slots in said sheet, said slots beingspaced from each other in both longitudinal and transverse directionsand defining a diamond outline generally parallel to and substantiallycoextensive with the outer sides of said sheet.

5. A fracture plate comprising a diamond shaped, centrally branchedmetal sheet curved cylindrically about a longitudinal axis parallel tobut spaced from said sheet, whereby the sheet is adapted to fit aboutand partially enclose a bone, and a plurality of longitudinally extendedscrew slots in said sheet, said slots being longil5 tudinally spacedfrom each other and arranged in rows paralleling the sides of the sheet.

6. A fracture plate as defined in claim 5, wherein said sheet isoutwardly beaded along its sides to rigidity the 5 structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,133,859 Hawley Oct. 18, 1938 2,443,363 Townsend et a1 June 15, 19482,580,821 Nicola Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 590,290 France Mar. 13.1925

